Oystercatcher

[harrycatcat1]

At a hotel we stayed in recently Dunston Hall there were what sounded like oystercatchers on the golf course south of Norwich.  They were very illusive but finally caught sight of them last night. I didn't believe that they would be so far from the coast but I googled this....

Oystercatchers are typically found near coastlines, estuaries, and shorelines rather than inland areas. They are specialized shorebirds known for their long, orange bills. While they may occasionally venture a short distance inland to forage or to nest in coastal grasslands, they primarily dwell in coastal environments. The exact distance they occur inland can vary depending on factors such as habitat availability and the specific species of oystercatcher.
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I didn't know that there were different species of oystercatcher. Have you seen them inland?

Edited July 9, 2023 by harrycatcat1

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Perhaps they were playing a round!  

[BlaserF3]

Years ago there were a few of them nesting on a tip at Burneside near Kendal.

[chrisjpainter]

Yup. Numerous examples of them nesting well inland. The map below is breeding season sightings. They can crop up anywhere inland really. I know they've bred regularly in Berkshire and Northamptonshire, and the Northern moorland areas have regular successful breeding pairs. For the Eurasian Oystercatcher, I wouldn't say they're quite as coastal-bound as that description would suggest, and I think the BTO data backs this up. They're more common on the coast, for sure, but there are plenty of inland areas they'll happily live on and exploit.

We only have one species of oystercatcher in the UK, but there are about a dozen in the genus. They're all basically alike, just varying amounts of black and white!

[JohnfromUK]

We get them on the river.  They feed in the soft muddy banks.  Not seen them before last year though.

[adzyvilla]

We get them flying over the house (normally in the early morning) all the time and we are 20+ miles in land.

[harrycatcat1]

48 minutes ago, chrisjpainter said:

Yup. Numerous examples of them nesting well inland. The map below is breeding season sightings. They can crop up anywhere inland really. I know they've bred regularly in Berkshire and Northamptonshire, and the Northern moorland areas have regular successful breeding pairs. For the Eurasian Oystercatcher, I wouldn't say they're quite as coastal-bound as that description would suggest, and I think the BTO data backs this up. They're more common on the coast, for sure, but there are plenty of inland areas they'll happily live on and exploit.

We only have one species of oystercatcher in the UK, but there are about a dozen in the genus. They're all basically alike, just varying amounts of black and white!

Well I never 🤔 everyday is a school day. Thanks for clarification 👍 

[Jonty]

I’m about 35 miles inland as the crow (or oystercatcher) flies and they’re a common sight and sound around here.  They nest on the rocky banks of the river, a few years back, one made its nest on top of a huge pile of aggregate that was piled up in a layby- it always made me smile when I drove past.  I don’t know much about them, but I like the fact that they’re easily recognisable by either sight or their distinctive call.

[yates]

We had one briefly in our garden in sunny Rotherham about a month ago. Made SWMBO's day as this is her favourite bird. Strangely we were on the Northumberland coast last week and hardly saw any which was most unusual 🤔 

[mr smith]

We have a pair nest every year on a flat roof of some shops over the road from us,don't know how they manage with the local gulls(thanks to the school kids throwing food round) crows and now a growing band of magpies.used to be two pairs but just the one the past couple of years.

[Blackpowder]

They nest on gravel well inland alongside river Tweed.

Blackpowder

[Penelope]

13 hours ago, chrisjpainter said:

Yup. Numerous examples of them nesting well inland. The map below is breeding season sightings. They can crop up anywhere inland really. I know they've bred regularly in Berkshire and Northamptonshire, and the Northern moorland areas have regular successful breeding pairs. For the Eurasian Oystercatcher, I wouldn't say they're quite as coastal-bound as that description would suggest, and I think the BTO data backs this up. They're more common on the coast, for sure, but there are plenty of inland areas they'll happily live on and exploit.

We only have one species of oystercatcher in the UK, but there are about a dozen in the genus. They're all basically alike, just varying amounts of black and white!

See them quite regularly on a big gravel pit, just to the north of London and have seen them inland in a number of locations.

[old man]

They certainly nested successfully in Staffordshire this season

[Tancho]

There is a pair just north of Milton Keynes, see them all the time. Noisy ******* when they are flying!

[FOXHUNTER1]

See them all over inland , loads around the Durham Moors and surrounding areas.

[Mickeydredd]

Blair Drummond Safari Park, near Stirling....in the Rhino enclosure! 😁

 

[Penelope]

12 hours ago, Mickeydredd said:

Blair Drummond Safari Park, near Stirling....in the Rhino enclosure! 😁

 

Hope iy manages to avoid the attention of that magpie.